Creevy & Co show England how it’s done
ANEW Pumas generation is beginning to flex their muscles, but it was the veteran Gus Creevy, 40 next birthday, who got them over the line at the Cake Tin which is fast developing a reputation as being a graveyard for New Zealand sides.
With a few injuries in the squad, the veteran Creevy answered the call from coach Felipe Contepomi to travel down under one final time and played a fine hand when he came on as a 64th minute replacement. Starting hooker Ignacio Ruiz had done really well but as we got to the crunch, who better to produce a decisive 15-minute cameo. A couple of turnovers, solid lineout throwing, a fierce disruptive tackle and to top it all the winning try.
His presence was reassuring and vital, not least for that try. The Pumas were encamped on the New Zealand line but one or two had become distracted, claiming a try when they were inches short. Creevy though remained alert and focused and plunged over seconds later. Ever the old pro.
His joy was evident after the whistle but it was noticeable that while the young bucks celebrated massively his mind was already moving to Eden Park on Saturday. New Zealand's Auckland stronghold remains the most difficult place in world rugby to win but Creevy fancies one last assault of the citadel. Argentina have won three of the last nine Tests against New Zealand and have shred that cloak of fear they used to wear and Saturday will be their best ever chance of making history. The celebrations in Wellington need to be short and sharp.
Argentina have been difficult to read for a while. If you look at the team, bar a few old timers I would argue they are a new golden generation, but until yesterday they have singularly failed to live up to that tag. They were bitterly disappointing at the World Cup losing their decisive pool game to 14-man England and although they scrambled their way into a semi-final against the Kiwis, they were unceremoniously played off the park, scarcely touching the ball.
Yet, their performance at the Cake Tin last night should be the norm. For starters they boast a back division including two outstanding young starters from the Toulouse double winning team – Juan Cruz Mailla and Santiago Chocobares – world class wing Mateo Carreras, Gloucester's classy 10 Santiago Carreras and silky Saracens centre Lucio Cinti.
They seemed incapable of bringing all that firepower to bear in the World Cup but these are class players and it might have shocked the New Zealand public a little to witness the ease with which they created a glorious try for Cinti in the first half while you could hear the gasp of astonishment from 12,000 miles away when Mateo Carreras pounced on a loose tap down from Sevu Reece and hit the afterburners from 45 yards.
Up front their back row of skipper Matera, Marcos Kremer and the long striding Juan Martin Gonzalez is probably the best, certainly their most versatile, breakaway combo they have ever fielded while they have suddenly discovered two young locks with attitude in
Franco Molina and Pedro Rubiolo. Perhaps their scrummaging isn't quite up to scratch but it scarcely mattered in this contest because remarkably there were no scrums until the 60th minute. All of which meant Thomas Gallo and Eduardo Bello were able to shine in the loose with their speed around the park and all-court games.
If New Zealand are to bounce back on Saturday that will be uppermost in their minds. Their front row is an exceptional scrummaging unit and a point of strength for this side in transition under new coach Scott Robertson. The All Blacks probably need to go against their recent trend and aim, at least for starters, at a tighter set-piece game. They need to have the humility to recognise that despite the presence of Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Reece and Mark Tela the Pumas are at least their equal behind the scum and well able to thrive in a loose game.
The All Blacks tactical kicking was also less than impressive so Robertson has quite a job on his hands this week. Those two wins over England, as we suspected at the time, disguised a few obvious fault lines. Rather than lose 2-0, England should probably have taken that series as Steve Borthwick and co might have been left reflecting after watching Argentina go to work.
